|
Part two of two
[Text
taken in part from staging article published on PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE.COM, June 2009]
Staging should read like a good book. Sometimes you can judge a book by
its cover. Initially, the cover has to grab your attention (e.g., curb
appeal); then the preface must make you want to continue. The first few
pages of the book are the deal breaker. You either want to continue or
not.
If the house has no curb appeal are they going to keep driving? If the
budget allows, things can be done outside to enhance and make the house
more inviting.
Once inside, the real work begins. If the house has little architectural
interest, and your budget allows, you need to add some pizzazz.
Budget is a huge consideration. But, with the right crew, any job can be
handled. However, you can't expect to achieve a look that costs $4,000
for $800. That said, you can dramatically improve your space for
$800. In some cases, results can be achieved for no money, depending on
what is in the house, the condition of those things, and the clients’
ability to execute the required work themselves if necessary. Sometimes,
simply rearranging existing furniture and eliminating excess is all that
is needed. A staged home can be sparsely furnished just to define the
function of the areas. If you are not going to leave the furniture, the
“bones” of the house need to be good, and we are available to help with
that too. People are more aware of floors, walls, surfaces, lighting and
storage; flaws show up more when the house is empty. If you decide to
stage, sometimes you can get by with minimal staging such as plants,
lighting, art, and rented furniture.
How fast do you want to sell your house? If it has been on the market for
awhile you should consider putting in some money for staging. We can
stage your house in phases, starting out using what you have and making
suggestions so that you can do the work yourself. If it doesn't sell
after that, consider putting in a low to medium investment in
staging. With a little more money, we can take your house to the next
level or two. In many cases, results can be achieved using existing
furnishings. It really depends on your house, furnishings and exterior. I
can sometimes locate a tragic flaw during the initial visit. Being
willing to box up stuff really helps get the ball rolling, so start
putting your clutter away today!
Hard wood and tile floors can be great selling points when chosen
and installed properly.
Updating a kitchen is essential beyond the obvious requirement of
replacing worn appliances and countertops. Attention to details, such as
installing interesting hardware, adding trim or changing cabinet doors,
sanding, and staining or painting can transform a kitchen, which is often
a major selling point in a house. Changing inserts in doors to grills
or glass is more expensive, but provides a quality touch if you have the
budget and the room needs it. Sometimes, the focal point of a kitchen is
the oven hood if you don't have a great view out of a window.
|
|
|
|
|
This is my kitchen. I know that I will be
expanding it soon, so I didn't want to spend the
money twice. It had an awful 70's rolled Formica
back-splash, an old cracked vinyl floor and ugly
fake wood cabinets.
For a fast and frugal partial transformation, the
cabinets were painted. The floor was covered
with plywood then painted with a Feng Shui
friendly zebra motif to add drama (proper for this
area).
A $99 bamboo mat was softened with a carpet
pad underneath for comfort while standing. |
 |
|
To update and visually enhance the generic laminate back-splash, I had a custom wooden back-splash made to simply fit in front
of the existing one, which I partially painted to co-ordinate with the
other colors in the room. Later, I added seam binder edging (about $10 for 8’ piece to the edge of the laminate – see insert or photo to right or left).
Old aluminum windows were unsightly. An architectural salvage window was found to cover
the old aluminum and add character. A marble remnant was cut to
complete the window sill. The final touch was added to the walls with a
muted striped wall covering.
The total for this kitchen
renovation was under $750 plus small amount of labor. |
|
My Kitchen (After)
|
 |
|
Storage is a huge issue, but is often ignored. Do provide storage or
consider building a closet, especially for the master bedroom.
If the outside lends itself to the possibility of seating, you should
provide a small furniture grouping on a hard surface such as brick,
decking, flagstone, colored concrete, etc.
I prefer an office to a third bedroom. Many people work from home
full-time or part-time. The desk shouldn't have your papers showing. It
should be a clean slate so the perspective buyer can imagine themselves
working there. It would be easy to convert it into a bedroom if it isn't
needed.
Window treatments should be neutral. Simple inexpensive draperies add
softness to a room. Other treatments are more expensive, so again, it
depends on budget.
It is probably a good idea to buy updated faucets for both kitchen and
bathroom sinks and tub. This is a small fix for a big impact.
Flat screen TVs are popular, and with good reason. They can even look
like art when you are having prospective buyers view the house with a TV
image on pause; it really can pass for art. (I do not know if it could
cause any damage to the screen; I would not recommend leaving it on pause
for any extended period.) Also, you can purchase TVs that are
mirrored when turned off or they can be part of an entertainment
unit. Alternatively, they can become an element of a wall grouping or
wall unit. These features allow them to add to the room instead of being
just a huge black box.
If your house is large enough, a home theatre is often a nice touch. But,
these days installing one in might be iffy. If you are going to do it or
have one already, it needs to be done with some care. A theme works well
in this area. You could feel like you're in a deco theatre or in the
bleachers. What fun!
If your dining room isn't large, and you don't have large dinner parties,
you can probably put some of the chairs away in a closet. This will make
the room look larger.
After you finish staging, you should feel sorry you're leaving such a
great space. That's when you know that you were successful.
|
| |
|
Curb Appeal |
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Originally, these garage doors were painted in a single brown color. The owner of this carriage house wanted me to jazz things up for prospective tenants. So I added emphasis by painting the panels a metallic looking color and painting the bolts to match the panels.
Contact Holly Wayne for Staging Advice
BACK
|
|
|
| |
|
Yard Appeal |
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
This railing was found at a re-use center. It wasn’t painted. I decided to be bold with color.
As bright as this railing is–it looks as though it belongs and it doesn’t overpower – it helps anchor and blend vivid colors.
Contact Holly Wayne for Staging Advice
BACK
|
|
|
|
